Mary Esterheld suggested that date of birth might have something to do with conducting talent. It sounds a little like an old cliche but one can observe that artistic achievement frequently grows out of a degree of hardship; many of the Hungarians mentioned had suffered under the nazi or communist regimes. Look, for example, what the USA produced following the depression and especially in terms of Broadway musicals. And the recordings made in Vienna following the war or by artists who had spent the war years in that city. Before the Lebanese war the other Arab nations totally ignored Lebanese song (apart from Fairuz); now that country controls, at any one time, about 50% of the Arab hit parade. If anyone wants to be assured of the "chemistry" to which I refer I suggest (as two of many possible examples) the great Erich Kunz singing "Wie mein Ahn'l zwanzig Jahr" (from Der Vogelhandler) and Irmgard Seefried singing "Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben" (from Zaide). Whilst there was probably some heating in the Kingsway Hall in 1953 for Seefried, one can imagine Kunz in the Musikvereinsaal in 1951 wrapped in a heavy overcoat - and what a result! Both these items are on Testament. Neither, indeed, should one ignore the most magnificent Beethoven 9 on record (yes, ever!) - Philharmonia/Furtwangler (Lucerne Festival, 8/54) on Tahra FURT 1003 (and in amazing sound, from Swiss Radio). If anyone has ever heard an Adagio like this please mail me (I won't believe them, but will be happy to read it!). And finally, perhaps, take a close look at what, from the great comfort of our over-heated homes, is produced today both in performance and (especially) in composition! And is there, in contrast, anything more boring than the many CD "flavours of the month" which we are offered? John G. Deacon Home page: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon PIPEDOWN - Campaign Against Piped Music http://www.btinternet.com/~pipedown